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Merkel government to reach nuclear power decision

Other News Materials 5 September 2010 14:23 (UTC +04:00)
The German government is due to reach a decision Sunday after months of wrangling over proposals to extend the runtimes of nuclear power plants, dpa reported.
Merkel government to reach nuclear power decision

The German government is due to reach a decision Sunday after months of wrangling over proposals to extend the runtimes of nuclear power plants, dpa reported.

Chancellor Angela Merkel of the Christian Democrats has convened a meeting with fellow coalition leaders Guido Westerwelle of the Free Democrats and Horst Seehofer of Bavaria's Christian Social Union, as well as parliamentary leaders.

Nuclear runtimes were capped by a previous government to wind down by the year 2022, a deadline that Merkel wishes to extend by 10 to 15 years as a bridging technology until renewable energy sources are more developed.

Coupled to the proposals are plans to introduce an annual 2.3-billion-euro (3-billion-dollar) tax on the fuel rods used to generate nuclear power - proposals that industry bosses have fiercely objected to.

Merkel's government is seeking a solution that would not require approval from the upper house of parliament, where Germany's 16 states are represented, as the centre-right coalition no longer has a majority there.

Many Germans favour an end to nuclear power generation. Opponents of nuclear power planned to demonstrate in front of Merkel's office in Berlin.

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